What: Woods is president and chief executive officer of YMCA Broward County. Nationwide, the nonprofit is rebranding simply as the "Y." The Y provides community centers, leads on-site after-school programs, and provides wellness classes, gymnastics and family activities.

"It's not just about a new logo," Woods said. "People already say, 'I went to the 'Y' today.'"

"People don't know we're a charity, and we need to communicate that," she said. "Our business model is different from other charities. We have a variety of revenue streams, not just via fundraising."

In Broward, the Y has 4 family centers, three outreach program centers, 52 after school programs.

For example EnhanceFitness, a program of low impact aerobics, and strength training exercises is taught at partner sites throughout Broward. About 5,000 Broward schoolchildren, of which about 12 percent have special needs, benefit from Y after-school and summer programs.

So, in order to make the Y re-launch a success, Woods says an important first step was for her and her team to look inside the organization. They reflected on how they serve the community by meeting with their private and governmental partners to align knowledge, skills and resources.

In addition, with leases up in two different locations, the Y consolidated administrative and child services under one roof. That move has created bonus synergy, Woods said. Communicating, meeting and strategizing are easier. Resources are more readily available.

Annually, the Y promotes its drowning prevention SPLASH program that kicks off March 15 this year. And the Y's upcoming national Healthy Kids Day on April 16 will create more opportunity for the Y to emphasize local impact.

The result is a refreshed message to the community that conveys they are still the Y but that the organization is a charity dependent on donations as well as volunteers, Woods said.

The take away: "Leaders have to embrace change," she said. "Look beyond and outside your comfort zone. Push people to their limits to get them to grow."

Be driven enough to find ways to open doors and break down barriers, Woods said. "You can't be passive. You're not a spectator."

Knowledge:

Leverage talent, align resources. Woods looks for ways to partner with other nonprofits, so that rather than "compete for resources, we can work together to maximize services for greater community impact," she said.

Nonprofit career path. Be realistic and strategic as well as entrepreneurial. "If there's no money, there is no mission," Woods said.